Sunday, June 29, 2008

Grief

Today I write with such a heavy heart.

Last night our next-door neighbor and friend Hilary died suddenly and very unexpectedly. I don't even know how to process this. I was sitting in her living room two days ago, talking and laughing, and it's hard to comprehend that she is gone now. Hilary injured her knee a couple weeks ago, and evidently developed a blood clot ... I don't know how these things work exactly but apparently that is what killed her. She was to begin physical therapy tomorrow and have knee surgery in a few weeks. It just doesn't make sense.

She leaves behind a husband and 4 year old daughter. I start crying whenever I think of little Brianna, who has played in our home, splashed in our pool, gone to church with us, eaten at my table ... How do you live without your mommy? I just keep picturing important events in her future that her mom will not be a part of ... starting with the fact that Brianna is to begin kindergarten in a few months, on down the road to sports events, graduations, a wedding someday. My heart is torn up with grief for her, grief that she doesn't even probably comprehend right now.

Please keep them in your prayers. Pray that God would give Vince (Hilary's husband), Brianna, and all of their families and friends comfort during this time. Pray that we as friends would know how to best love and support them through this time. Pray that God would use this, somehow, for good.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

3 comments:

Chris Ann Schultz said...

The scare about the blood clot, I can understand. I had one in my right lung following a broken ankle and surgery. My doctor told me if I had had one in my other lung too, I wouldn't have been alive. I was 27 yrs. old at the time, 8 years ago. I just celebrated the difficult anniversary 6/23/08, of the ankle breaking.
To answer the other questions, that would be very hard. My daughter was babysat by a mom who has 9 children she raised on her own, since her husband died suddenly and her youngest was 3. He's at least 15 years old now. I still don't understand that one.
Thanks for sharing your concern for this family. I know someone whose best friend died and she married her friend's husband and then had another child, so it provided for someone else, through that loss. (A teacher from Elementary School.)
Also, Chantel may attend her first funeral, Tuesday, Ralph's Uncle who she never met. So, that will be a good experience for her, since she doesn't know him well and should be too emotional, we hope.
Thanks for sharing once again.

Julie said...

wow...ill be praying for that family! And you and chad..for the family will need fiends the most now and you're so close to there house.

ErinOrtlund said...

Wow--I saw on Facebook that your neighbor died, but I was imagining an elderly woman. That is unspeakably sad. We just never know how many days any of us have.

I know God will be with your neighbor and his daughter. My best friend, Liza, was raised by her single parent father after her mother died in a car crash. I'll be praying for this family...